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The following article was submitted by Jackie Morfesis, a parishioner from Charleston, South Carolina.
I cannot express the depth of gratitude I have for the decision to allow service dogs in our Greek Orthodox churches in the U.S.—a decision made on September 13th during a meeting of the Holy Eparchial Synod at Hellenic College Holy Cross in Brookline, Massachusetts. This is a great step forward to being the hands and feet of our Lord. God bless the Lord’s creation, the innocent animals. Service animals are a gift and a blessing.
> Previously: Communiqué of the Holy Eparchial Synod on September 14, 2025
I realize that there is pushback against this decision, citing church protocol, tradition, and concern for maintaining the sanctity of our holy space. However, I believe that these protestations are missing the bigger picture. Extending mercy to the suffering is an act of holiness.
For too long, those living with disabilities have encountered discrimination, judgment, hardship, and closed doors, literally and figuratively. Each day may feel like an insurmountable battle. Access is denied because they cannot enter a building if they are not physically able to open doors without a disability access button installed. They cannot navigate without aid of a seeing eye dog. They cannot mobilize without ample space in hallways if they have a wheelchair or other mobility devices.
Living in chronic pain is also a concern. They are the ones who suffer before our eyes yet whose suffering is invisible to the naked eye. If we find ourselves at odds with the support of those who suffer in ways we may never experience nor understand, we should see this not as an opportunity for further disagreement and exclusion, but as an opportunity to broaden our perspective, enlarge our hearts, and deepen our faith walk as Orthodox Christians.
When we plan our buildings, we should carefully meditate upon the ways our new and beautiful spaces can accommodate those with disabilities. This includes disability access buttons on the doors to our halls and community centers. Those with disabilities should be invited to the conversation surrounding new additions to our churches. We have faithful living with disabilities within all our parishes and they should be invited to share their experiences. As a disability advocate, I know that it is easier to include needed accommodation in the planning process than to retroactively make renovations.
I fully realize that it is difficult to place ourselves in the shoes of another if we do not walk their walk. However, as followers of Christ, this is exactly what we are called to do. Mercy is at the very core of the Orthodox faith walk. “Lord, have mercy” is not only the prayer we utter on our lips for ourselves, but also the prayer we say to lift up our brothers and sisters. We can no longer see ourselves as separated from the suffering in our midst. We are indeed our “brother’s keeper.”
It is my prayer and hope that this beautiful initiative and policy change spreads like wildfire in the hearts of the faithful, church, and parish leadership, creating a new season of inclusiveness and acceptance for the faithful and for our visitors. There must be no physical barriers to entering God’s house.
Thank you, Archbishop Elpidophoros, for standing up for the least of these. Those who suffer are an ever-present reminder of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the One who suffered and gave all for us and for our salvation. I, for one, am deeply and personally thankful that you are not forgetting our brothers and sisters in Christ, and that you are not forgetting me, as someone with physical limitations due to a cross that I carry unseen by man but seen by God.
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